“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015) // Film Review

The internet literally broke when “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” was released a couple of weeks ago. Fans who had to wait 32 years (!) for a new Star Wars film went crazy, while others reacted to actress Carrie Fisher’s confession that she was asked to lose 30 pounds before returning as princess Leia.

Before I saw “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, I had never seen another Star Wars film, nor did I have the intention to do so. The images of colorful lightsabers, guys in white robot outfits and a green hobbit never really appealed to me. But with all the fuss surrounding the latest installment, I admit, I was rather curious to see it. So when we were in Bruges, I watched the very first Star Wars film in my life – and it turned out to be an unexpected surprise.

Without any prior Star Wars-related knowledge, I sat down to watch “The Force Awakens” and I was both confused and thrilled. I watched space ships (vessels? shooters? what are these things called again?) shooting through the sky, Gwendoline Christie walking around in a silver suit, Cousin It’s return to the big screen (I know, I know, his name is Chewbaca, or shortened Chewie, but to me, he’ll always be Cousin It) and some of the worst casting choices ever made (more about that later) – but to my great surprise, I actually really enjoyed watching “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”. The visual effects were great, the film was very suspenseful and entertaining and, at times, even moving.

One of the things I liked most about “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, was the little robot sidekick, called BB-8. At first I was confused, because I’m one of those girls who thinks of BB-cream before anything else, but the little robot really stole my heart. Apart from being a comic relief element, BB-8 also was a very emotional element of the film. And of course besides that, he (she? it?) also looked really cute – something we get to thank Disney for.

Unfortunately, there’s also an element of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” that I really disliked and that is the casting. Although some actors were casted very, very well (newcomers Daisy Ridley and John Boyega in the leading roles, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Lupita Nyong’o as Maz Kanata and Andy Serkis as Supreme Leader Snoke), other were rather disastrous. Domnhall Gleeson (“About Time”, “Ex Machina” and “Frank”) was cast as General Hux, one of the bad guys of the film. He was meant to be terrifying, a real threat to our main heroes, shouting at his subjects like the leader that he is – but it just didn’t work. Instead of frightening, Gleeson’s part is bland, at times almost comical.

The same goes for The Real Bad Guy of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, a hooded figure called Kylo Ren. When he was still hooded and dressed in his floor-lenght black cloak, Kylo Ren was terrifying, with his deep, dark voice and frightening presence. But the second he took of his mask, and actor Adam Driver’s face was revealed, gone was the terror. Driver, known for “Girls”, “The F Word” and “Inside Llewyn Davis”, looked terribly out of place with his long, glossy, wavy black manes, glinstering dark eyes and enticing abs (they were clearly there, covered by that black cloak of his).

Truth be told, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is a must-see film, whether you are a loyal fan or just someone who likes to be entertained; this film is a good choice either way.